Many people have been taught  quite wrongly  that there will not be any Christians here on Earth when The Tribulation begins. Those misguided Christians are basing their hopes on a "get out of jail free card" called a "Pre-Tribulational Rapture." The idea that The Rapture  the sudden, bodily "snatching away" of Christians up into Heaven  will occur prior to The Tribulation is a prophetic equivalent of a "prosperity gospel" that gives people a false sense of hope and security. That false sense could easily usher in the great "falling away."

For several months, I've been doing research for a new book. The original working title was Are We Already in the End Times?, but I recently changed the title from a question to a statement. The new title is Tribulation: 2008. In the book, I identify four distinct periods of Biblical timing: the Latter Days, the End Times, the Tribulation, and the Great Tribulation. Many people seem to think that all four periods are the same, but are called by different names in different parts of the Bible. Not so. This past weekend, the signs were put in place to move us from the End Times into The Tribulation.

But, wait, there's more!

This past weekend also matched the period described in Revelation 8:5, when an angel takes fire from the altar of God and throws it to the Earth. More than 800 wildfires started in a single day in California this past weekend, as the result of an 'unprecedented' lightning storm of a type called "dry lightning." The triggering event in the Bible takes place immediately after the "silence in Heaven," and as the seven angels prepare to blow their seven trumpets that cause disasters on Earth during The Tribulation. (For a presentation on the "silence in Heaven," its duration on Earth, and the event that marks its beginning, readers will need to wait for the book, which should be completed soon.) The wildfires form a virtual ring around the infamous Bohemian Grove, where leaders from business and government gather to perform pagan rituals during the Dog Days of Summer. If the huge number of fires were to heat up the sub-surface rock formations, could that trigger an earthquake? (The next thing in the sequence of Revelation 8:5 is an earthquake.)

Tom Kovach lives near Nashville, is a former USAF Blue Beret, and has written for several online publications. In 2006, he published his first book. He is also an inventor, a horse wrangler, a certified paralegal, and a network talk-radio host. He is available to speak to your group. To learn more, visit: www.TomKovach.us

Lots of “teasers” to sell books to Christians, little hard info. If he was serious, he’d post the entirety of his research online and answer the questions he raises. Instead, you have to “buy the book,” one of which will “be out soon!” Uh huh.

More than 800 wildfires started in a single day in California this past weekend, as the result of an 'unprecedented' lightning storm of a type called "dry lightning."

Unprecedented means that it has never occurred before. I remember back in the 70s watching an old educational film that looked like it was from the 1950s (zzzzz!) about forest fires. It talked about lightning strikes without rain in the west and the fire watch towers that were built to watch for the first signs of smoke and to triangulate the smoke's location.

This might be a worse than normal year, but it is hardly out of line for a state that has had two seasons, fire and mud, for as long as I can remember.

The Great Tribulation begins with the signing of a covenant between the AntiChrist and Israel. This has not yet occurred.

IMHO, the fires in CA have not been caused by lightning nor ‘dry lightning”, but a much more plausible explanation is that many groups of masonic related orders believe they can advance their worldly agendas by setting the fires, then appealing to the fire protection agencies as false objects of hope, and to justify larger tax appropriations for their own worldly constructs.

If this isn’t the case, the masonic groups might simply appeal to ‘lightning’ and other natural causes where lighting is rarely if ever seen nor thunder heard, as the cause of calamity.

IMHO, arson on a grander scale is far more consistent in a social public which condones Wicca, witchcraft, and other worldly counterfeits to what God has provided.

15
posted on 07/01/2008 7:15:50 AM PDT
by Cvengr
(Adversity in life and death is inevitable. Thru faith in Christ, stress is optional.)

St. Matthew 24:36 -- "But of that day and hour no one knoweth, not the angels of heaven, but the Father alone."

A local talk show host was interviewing an end-of-worlder who had the exact year and month, but couldn't narrow it down any further just because of that verse. Fortunately he didn't accurately know the year or month because they've passed already.

The things we are seeing now is minor compared to the intensity of the events that Revelation describes.

I agree. What's going on is but the pre-game show. The watchmen are commanded to stay alert on their watch. No one can know the exact time, but we have been given the things to look for. And things would appear to be getting down right weird, mighty fast lately. As for this so called rapture nonsense, I ain't going anywhere! The good Lord wouldn't even spare His own Son the sufferings of this earth-why should we think we can, we who are far lesser in all ways than Christ? He will protect us, but we as Christians will be suffering right along with everyone else!

19
posted on 07/01/2008 7:20:33 AM PDT
by ozark hilljilly
(I was gruntled before I was disgruntled.)

St. Matthew 24:36 — “But of that day and hour no one knoweth, not the angels of heaven, but the Father alone.”

From what I understand this is to mean just what it says the day or hour not the season or I guess the year, as I have read that the passage *Jesus comes like a Thief in the Night* has to do with the Rapture of the Church, actually when Jesus comes to earth as in the Clouds that all shall see is sometime in the Fall with the Jewish Feast in 2015 just some of what is written...

“Prophets” have been trying to guess what God has in mind for hundreds of years. While it’s good that he, or anybody, takes the time to read the Bible and try to keep up on current events, it’s more important to serve your neighbor and preach the Gospel of love.

I think he is referring to actually 2 events as far as Jesus returning the first one is the Rapture of the Church when Jesus says he comes like a thief in the night the other has to do when he actually comes back, when all shall see and every man will bow and confess Jesus is Lord that date is an unknown...

You will go somewhere if you are alive or dead when the First Resurrection takes place ,but when that happens no one knows. But the Word says “Blessed is He who takes part in the First Resurrection over him is there is no power of the Second Death.” There are mysteries that God has that we cannot always predict.

26
posted on 07/01/2008 7:31:57 AM PDT
by DarthVader
(Liberal Democrats are the party of EVIL whose time of judgement has come.)

The Tribulation will begin about 42 months after the signing of that covenant, and will last about 42 months. Then the catching away of the saints. Then the Wrath of God (including the Woes) on those who are not caught away, who refuse to believe in God and his Messiah. (By that time, all Israel will have come to believe.)

The Tribulation will be horrible, but will be a cakewalk compared to the Wrath of God.

I think the fires he is speaking of our more Global
Such as:
Greece Suffers More Fires In 2007 Than In Last Decade, Satellites Reveal Greece has experienced more wildfire activity this August than other European countries have over the last decade, according to data from ESA satellites. The country is currently battling an outbreak ...

(July 1, 2008)  Following the extremely hot weather conditions hitting Europe, Norway experienced its biggest forest fire in the last half century earlier this month

Major fires are visible from space  satellites detect not only the smoke billowing from major conflagrations but also the burn scars left in their wake. Even the fires themselves appear as ‘hotspots’ when the satellites sensors scan the Earth’s surface in infrared wavelengths.

More than 50 million hectares of forest are burnt annually, and these fires have a significant impact on global atmospheric pollution, with biomass burning contributing to the global budgets of greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide.

California fires have grown to 1400

Maybe he is speaking of fires over a period of time that fits into the tribulation period

The Tribulation is a seven-year period that is divided into two halves, each 3.5 years long. If you add 3.5 years to the Summer Solstice of 2008, you arrive at the Winter Solstice of 2012. That day "just happens" to be the last day of the Mayan calendar.

Solstices? Mayan calandar?

Ohhhh-kay.

[sarcasm]midtrib heretic[/sarcasm]

The idea that The Rapture  the sudden, bodily "snatching away" of Christians up into Heaven  will occur prior to The Tribulation is a prophetic equivalent of a "prosperity gospel" that gives people a false sense of hope and security.

Well, he's got that right.

33
posted on 07/01/2008 7:55:02 AM PDT
by Lee N. Field
(dispensationalism -- the eschatology of the Pharasees.)

The Tribulation is a seven-year period that is divided into two halves, each 3.5 years long. If you add 3.5 years to the Summer Solstice of 2008, you arrive at the Winter Solstice of 2012. That day "just happens" to be the last day of the Mayan calendar. His math isn't so good. 3.5 years from Summer Solstice 2008 is winter Solstice 2011. But that's not as terrifying as the last day of the Mayan calendar and wouldn't sell as many books.

I figure that God already knows what’s going to happen to each of us, so what’s the use of worrying about it? If He knows you’re one of the ones getting taken away, then you’ll get taken away, if not, then you won’t.

Question- What would American Christians do if Obama would win and there was an attack on Israel and Obama would no longer defend Israel as an ally? Obama becoming leader of the most strongest military in the world, really is a nightmare!

46
posted on 07/01/2008 9:06:19 AM PDT
by red irish
(Gods Children in the womb are to be loved too!)

dmz said:
Endtimers, as a whole, are a group I dont understand at all. The cynical me believes that it is the only way to rub the unbelievers face in the dirt. See, I told you so!

Howdy dmz; Endtimers aren’t trying “to rub unbelievers faces in the dirt”, but instead are trying to make sure all the lost are saved. We don’t want anyone spending eternity in Hell.

In these last days folks have been so brainwashed with the idea that they evolved...that they don’t give any thought to God at all...in fact they scoff & laugh at the idea of eternal life, and a Heaven to win & a Hell to shun.

God put “His Church” (every single person that has accepted Jesus as their Lord & Savior) on earth to warn the lost for the past 2000+ years about how to make Heaven their home, and what unbelievers are about to face when the Church is taken “Home”.

Sadly there are even some in man-made churches that will find themselves left-behind too, because they’re clinging to mans ideas instead of what God told us in the Bible. They need to read the warnings to the 7 churches in Revelation.

It’s going to take “The Rapture” happening to wake folks up to the fact that God is there and everyone will be giving Him a accounting of their lives.

Our duty as Christians is to tell the lost how to get saved and spend their eternity in Heaven and not Hell.

It’s not to rub anyone’s face in the dirt.

Just read the daily news & compare the times to what Jesus said for us to watch for.

Signs of the Times

When Jesus disciples asked Him about the signs that would be a precursor to His coming and the end of the age His response, recorded in Matthew 24, was:

Wars and rumors of wars

Nation will rise against nation. It is very interesting to note that the Greek word that is translated as nation is “ethnos” which deals with ethnic background and race. Most of the wars and conflicts in the 1980’s and 1990’s are wars among ethnic groups and tribes.

Kingdom will rise against kingdom

Famines

Earthquakes are like the early pangs of childbirth.As the time grows nearer and nearer to His coming, the frequency and intensity of these five signs will increase.

The followers of Jesus will be handed over to be persecuted and killed. This is happening with more frequency in the Moslem controlled nations in the Middle East, and in Africa where Black Moslems are enslaving Black Christians.

Christians will be hated by all nations on account of His name. In many parts of the world, Christians are jailed and killed for their beliefs; in the United States those who are Christians are hated by the media and liberals, and are known by the code words “religious right.”

Many will fall away...that is, many who claimed to be Christians will recant their faith, and betray and hate Christians.

Many false prophets will arise and deceive many.

Due to excessive lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold.

The Rapture

This is an event that will not be hidden. The concept of the rapture has already been made known to the masses. It will be treated with ridicule, contempt and mockery by the world’s media, but God will see to it that it will be highly publicized before it occurs just so that those left behind might still come to their senses. It will occur in the open, and everybody left behind will know someone who was raptured.

It will happen suddenly, unexpectedly, and lightning fast—”in the twinkling of an eye,” as the Bible puts it. And there will be evidence all over the world that this event occurred.

Some national leaders will disappear, celebrities in entertainment and professional sports will disappear, entire families will disappear, disbelieving spouses will see their mates vanish, children will disappear. Bank accounts, homes, cars, businesses and relationships will be left behind.

The problem for the world’s leaders will be trying to convince people that it didn’t happen. Because if the world’s leaders admit that it did happen then, logically, everything Christians preached about Jesus Christ being the Son of God, the Savior, the Messiah, the Prince of Peace, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings and everything that Jesus preached and taught must be true.

And if all of this is true, then the only logical response would be to fall on one’s knees before God in confession and repentance and absolute submission to every word of God (as revealed in the Bible). But all of this is diametrically opposed to the way of the world, which preaches freedom from the constraints of God’s word, perverse sex, materialism and the devaluation of human life.

So, although the rapture will shock everybody and will be covered in the media and everybody left will be aware of someone who is gone, the leaders of the world will begin their great deception, trying to convince the population left behind that there was no rapture.

How is this going to be accomplished? Well, pretty easily because most of the people left behind are already in a state of deception.

They have been deceived into believing that Jesus is not the Messiah; they have been deceived into believing that the word of God is not true; they have been deceived into living a lifestyle that only brings constant pain and suffering instead of the freedom and paradise that God offers.

The world’s leaders will declare that there was no rapture, that a mass hysteria took place, and the news media will follow the party line.

Then to make things easier, shortly after the rapture, one-fourth of the world’s population will be decimated due to wars, famine and plague. Those who were raptured will be counted among the dead.

After the Rapture

Shortly after the rapture, a seven-year period known in the Bible as the Great Tribulation will take place. It will begin with the signing of a peace agreement between Israel and her enemies and it will end with the physical return of Jesus Christ to set up His kingdom on earth. In between, will be seven years of terror for those on earth.

The following events and trends will take place in that seven-year period:

A man will arise who will achieve victory after victory both in politics and in war(Rev 13:7). This man, who should be easily identified by his rapid rise and popularity, is your the anti-christ. Many people believe that this person must be Jewish. That is, in order for Jews to accept him as Messiah, only a Jew will suffice.

This is not necessarily the case. The Bible does not specify that he is a Jew, and it does not specify nationality. Only God-fearing Jews will require a Jewish Messiah. The liberal, ungodly Jews who dominate Israel will be as lost when it comes to Biblical truth as the Gentiles of the world and will be deceived by his charisma, and more than likely, the desires of the world’s media.

Currently the new nickname for the United States is the Great Satan. This may have some significance.

Violence will increase in all parts of the world, both nation against nation (ethnic wars) and domestically. Men will indiscriminately slay one another as peace will be removed from the earth (Rev 6:3-4).

There will be extreme inflation, poverty, and lack of food as one day’s wages will buy enough food for one day for one person (Rev 6:5-6).

In a very short period of time, one-quarter of the earth’s population will be killed due to wars, famine, pestilence and wild beasts. These wild beasts could very well be viruses, bacteria and other microbes. In late 1995, Time magazine ran a cover story on the rise of new infections and called microbes “malevolent little beasts” (Rev 6:7-8).

Many people will experience a religious conversion and become followers of Jesus Christ and most of these people will be hunted down and killed (Dan 7:21).

There will be a great earthquake, the sun will be blackened, the moon will turn red and all mountains and islands (which are underwater mountains) will be moved (Joel 2:30-32).

There will be a brief period of calm on the earth following this great earthquake which will give those who survive a false sense of security.

One-third of the earth, one-third of all of trees and all the green grass will be burned up due to a comet or meteor that hits the earth (Rev 8:7).

A meteor will hit the earth causing the sea to become like blood, killing one-third of all sea creatures and destroying one-third of all shipping (Rev 8:8-9).

A “star” named Wormwood will fall from the sky and poison one-third of all fresh water killing many people (Rev 8:10-11).

The sun, moon and stars will be darkened by one-third. The day and night will be reduced by one-third. There is some speculation that this means the rotation of the earth will be changed so that a day lasts only 16 hours instead of 24 hours (Rev 8:12).

Fearsome locust-like beings will be released from underground who only attack people who are not followers of Jesus Christ. These attacks will be very painful but last only 5 months (Rev 9:1-11).

An army of 200 million horse-like creatures will kill one-third of mankind (Rev 9:13-19).

Two men (known as witnesses, see item 7 below) of Jewish origin will preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ for 3 1/2 years and be killed at the midpoint of the 7 year tribulation. These two will be responsible for a 3 1/2 year world-wide drought and will be killed by the anti-christ (also known as the beast in the Bible).

People will be required to receive a mark on their right hand or forehead in order to buy and sell. Those who receive this mark will develop a loathsome and malignant sore on their bodies within a short period of time (Rev 13:13-18).

The oceans will chemically change and become like the blood of a dead man (congealed?) and everything in the sea will die (Rev 16:3).

The fresh waters will become like blood (Rev 16:4-7).
The sun will scorch the people on earth with fierce heat (Rev 16:8-9).

The throne of the anti-christ and his kingdom will become darkened (Rev 16:10-11).

The Euphrates river will dry up allowing the kings of the east to march westward (Rev 16:12).

The kings of the world will gather their armies together to battle God at Armageddon. There will be an earthquake so great that all of the mountains and islands will disappear. There will be hailstones weighing close to 100 pounds that will crush the armies that have gathered (Rev 16:17-22).

Shortly after this great earthquake, Jesus Christ will return with His army to claim the earth as His possession (Zech 14:3-5).

The Two Witnesses
These two men are God’s gift to the people of the earth who refused to submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ prior to the rapture, but who will recognize the error in their life and seek God knowing the terrible mistake they have made.

These two men will proclaim the gospel and provide hope for those left behind. Their message is for the salvation of the soul. They will have no message as to how you can avoid the hell that life on earth has become, because there is no hope to avoid that tribulation.

If you are left on earth, then your destiny is to suffer and more than likely die. But you still have the hope of salvation. Listen to what these two men are preaching and turn to God.

The Bible does not say who these two men are. Many speculate that they are Elijah and Enoch, two ancient prophets of God who never died.

Regardless, they will be responsible for many of the natural catastrophes that will wreak havoc on the property and economy of the earth. They will have the power to prevent rain, and there will be a 3 1/2 year drought on earth until they die. They will turn water into blood and cause all kinds of plagues on earth and, in general, make life miserable for those who are living on earth.

Also, they will be invincible, as many will try to kill them only to be killed by their own hands. Those who attempt to blow them up will themselves be blown up; those who attempt to shoot them will have their guns explode in their hands; those who attempt to poison them will be poisoned by their own efforts. Only the world dictator will be able to kill them and only when God allows it.

The purpose of all the misery that these two witnesses inflict on the earth dwellers is to turn people back to God in repentance.

The misery will be so great that when the world dictator does finally kill these two, the world will rejoice in a Christmas-like celebration, giving gifts to one another.

Three and one-half days after their death they will be resurrected and, in full view of the entire population of the world, ascend to heaven at the command of God when He calls them to “Come up here.” Shortly after he kills the two witnesses, the world dictator will declare himself to be God. He is the anti-christ.

The 144,000 Jewish Witnesses

Shortly after the rapture, God will call His army of 144,000 Jewish believers into service to provide a voice of hope for Jews throughout the world. The best friends and most staunch supporters of Jews have always been true, believing Christians. It was this element of the world’s population that provided help and support for Israel and Jewish people.

The rapture removed the Christian people from the earth and awakened the 144,000 to their purpose. These 144,000 preach to Jews worldwide that Jesus is the Messiah. These 144,000 will be spread out worldwide and more than likely go about in pairs, two by two, as Jesus instructed His disciples to do.

It will be these 144,000 who will oppose Israel signing a peace treaty for protection; it will be the 144,000 who will identify the anti-christ for who he is; it will be the 144,000 who will warn Israel of the treachery of the anti-christ, and it will be the 144,000 who will lead the Jews worldwide to the hiding place prepared for them by God in the Judean desert.

These 144,000 Jews are going to be strange people by normal standards: they will be celibate, very bold, fearless, spiritually strong and probably very much like John the Baptist. You can read more about the 144,000 witnesses in Revelation 14.

Money

Hard currency will become obsolete. This is no surprise, as banks and governments have been working to eliminate currency, coin money and paper transactions for decades. Currency and coin is expensive to produce, lends itself readily for drug trafficking and, with high tech equipment, is too easily counterfeited.

Banks desire to eliminate the teller position as an expense item, and with the elimination of paper checks and currency, all financial transactions can be handled with a computer. The debit card will become the tool for all personal financial transactions.

However, at some point after the rapture, probably right after the two witnesses are killed, everyone will be required to get a mark on their right hand or forehead in order to buy and sell.

Do not, do not, do not under any circumstances participate by receiving this mark. All those who receive this mark known as “the mark of the beast” are doomed for eternity.

By taking this mark you are swearing allegiance to the anti-christ. You may as well attempt to enjoy life as best you can because eternity for you will be hell.

It is at this point that God will have separated His followers from Satan’s followers. Those who have taken the mark will persecute those without the mark.

God will render judgment on those with the mark by inflicting them with a disgusting looking and very painful ulcer covering their bodies.

So how can a person without the mark survive and still buy and sell? Again, this will almost be impossible, but there will be people who are part of the anti-christ’s regime who don’t believe in the anti-christ; they are just “survivors” who pick the “winner” and seek to profit from that relationship.

Therefore, save up for yourself gold; gold has always had value as money and always will, even in a cashless society.

Identify one of these profiteers and seek to purchase food and living supplies from him. However, don’t ever disclose to him how much gold you have and where it is. You want to be more valuable to him as a dealer than as a bounty.

By the way, you will have a price on your head for not taking the mark. Obviously you won’t be living an open life, as you will be in hiding somewhere at a remote location or in the forest on the outskirts of a large city.

Your only goal will be to eat to live and hope to escape the militia hunting for you and those like you. Should you get caught, your fate will be either death or slavery.

If you receive this manual before the rapture and plan to be around after the rapture, then start storing up food and living supplies and put them into hiding in some remote and difficult to access area. You should include weaponry to defend yourself and medical supplies as part of your living supplies.

Safety Concerns

This era will be the most violent of times in the history of the world. Death, brutality and destruction will be part of everyday life. One of the defining characteristics of the last days following the rapture will be a lack of peace.

There will be civil wars throughout the world: people will kill one another indiscriminately. Random acts of violence will fill people with fear. Car-jackings, home invasions, drive by shootings, and bombings will all increase with an intensity that will leave people with absolutely no sense of security.

In order to survive this time, you will need to remove yourself from society and live in a remote area that is difficult to access. Getting together with a group of like-minded people would provide additional support and safety.

As mentioned earlier, stock up on food, medicines, living supplies, weaponry and gold. You will need enough for 7 years.

Don’t plan on being able to supplement your food with hunting and fishing because the stocks of wild animals and fish will have been depleted and destroyed by the 3 1/2 year worldwide drought and three successive meteor-like or comet-like objects that strike the earth sometime after the rapture.

The 3 1/2 year drought is brought on by the two witnesses. The first object from outer space to strike the earth will destroy 1/3 of all trees and all the green grass on earth.

The second object, more like a meteor, strikes the sea and destroys 1/3 of all sea creatures and 1/3 of all shipping. The third object turns 1/3 of all fresh water poisonous and kills many people.

Needless to say, all of this will also seriously deplete the food supplies for the world’s population, causing food prices to skyrocket.

Those people in the world who never before missed a meal or worried about food will become very familiar with hunger pangs and the feeling of going without food for long periods of time.

This will be one of the causes of the increased violence as people become more self centered, short-tempered, and competitive for the food sources in short supply. As Jesus spoke to His disciples about these days, He said, “people will betray one another and hate one another...the love of many will grow cold.”

Health Concerns

Prior to the rapture, the world experienced an increase in health-related catastrophes, an increase in new infectious diseases and an increase in the return of diseases thought to have been eradicated or brought under control.

The past two decades have brought on AIDS, EBOLA virus, flesh-eating bacteria, the return of tuberculosis, incurable gonorrhea, herpes and many other virtually incurable sexually transmitted diseases.

After the rapture, things do not get better, as one quarter of the world’s population will die as the result of wars, famine and plague.

Sometime after the two witnesses are murdered and after people are required to take the mark on the right hand or forehead, there will be a terrible plague causing a loathsome and malignant ulcer on the bodies of those who have taken the mark. This will be a very ugly and very painful sore that will make life miserable for those who have it.

In addition to all this, because of the poor economic situation worldwide and the 3 1/2 year drought that depletes the world’s supply of water, sanitation practices will deteriorate even in what were advanced nations in Europe and North America.

With the short supply of water, there won’t be sufficient water for flushing toilets, taking baths, washing clothes and transporting wastewater to treatment facilities. This will result in the increase of typhus, cholera, salmonella and E.coli infections.

Therefore, since you have decided to reject Christ’s offer to join in the rapture, your concern is how to maintain good health in the post rapture era.

You must build a supply of multiple vitamins with particular emphasis on anti-oxidants such as C and E and minerals. It will also be necessary to have a supply of disinfectants, particularly one that can be added to water to make it potable.

Above all, do not accept the mark of the beast on your right hand or forehead. If you do take the mark then nothing can be done for youyou will suffer the malignant ulcer making the rest of your life almost unbearable.

Did you ever have a canker sore in your mouth? If so, then you know how painful that one little canker sore was. Now think of having canker sores all over your body, on your genitalia, in your mouth.

Think how painful and unbearable your life will be. Then follow that misery with eternity in hell. Don’t take that mark.

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